The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-27

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shot he erasped the rail of the staircase and
staggering for An instant, fell on the lower STEP
Davis at once surrounded by his friends.
and the most intense excitement pervsded tho
crowd who rushed TO the spot The bitterest en-
nifty had for a long time existed between Cen
eral Nelson and Governor Morton, and. by some
inexplicaole process. the personal differences Oh
these men had come TO take the character or
quarrel between the States of which these gen.
tlemen were respectively citizens. The Indian
ians gathered about Davis ready to defend him
to the death, with a confused idea that Davis
was the leader of the Indiana opposition to the
Nelson men. Here the commonly received YER
sion of this affair does injustice 20 both Nelson
and Davis. Davis had nothing to do with the
Morton Nelson feud. and Nelson's antipathy was
not against Indianians in general. but against
Morton personally and politically
The favorite troops of Nelson's command
were from Indiana. Nelson called for an In
diana surgeon TO dress his wound. Dr. Ben New
land. of Bedford. and ne called for An Indiana
clergyman to administer to him the last ofhees
of religion.
General Nelson at once removed to his
room on the second floor of the hotel and real,
izing the mortal character of his wound, called
for Rev. Mr.. Talbot, n clergyman OF the Episco-
pal Church, who was the guest of General n ell
son in the hotel at the time.
Probably FIVE minutes had passed before the
the arrival of the clergyman at the room OF Mel
son. DIR. Newland and the other gentleman
had retired to the further side OF the room. ana
had left the dying General alone with death and
the rector.
Il wish to be baptized. doctor, before die
said the wounded man.
The clergyman delayed to remind him that
Scripture teaches that if we from our hearts for
give not every one his brother our own tres
passes will not be forgiven.
Catching the idea, the dying man said:
General Davis has killed me. but / for
give him from my heart, doctor from my
heart"
One of the gentlemen present had provided
water, and with the life-blood oozing slowly
from his heart and the dark shadows of the
grave gathering around him. the drops OF the
bright new birth were sprInkled over the lion
like face of the dying soldier Tho sacra-
ment of baptism having been administered.
General Nelson lay quietly casping his life out
The surgeons and other gentlemen gathered
around him. and in ten minutes he was dead.
General Davis was immediately put under
arrest, and ordered in, without guard. to keep
his room. The excitement in the city ran shigh.
Naturally it extended to tae old division of
General Nelson's men. of which. while they
were loud in their complaints of the rough man
in which the General exercised his authority
over them. yet were always anxious when it
came to facing the enemy in battle that Old
Bull, they called Nelson. should lead them
It became necessary to double the guards around
the troops. who felt disposition to avenge the
death of their leader.
On the other hand. General Davs's old
division had reached Louisville and was en-
camped near the city. General Davis was the
idol of his troops. and they were clamorous for
his release, and having only the worst
phases in General Nelson's character and having
witnessed none of the qualities which endeared
him to his command, they appauded the
sad act of their leader Thus the soldiers Of the
two generals took the quarreis of their
leaders. For a time the appearance of things
did not promise peace. But the bloody battle
of Perryvile came on and ia the fellowship OF
that fearful carnage the friendship Of the angry
divisions was established
General Davis remained quietly in his room.
He was the recipient of every possible attention
from officers of the army and citizens OF Louis
VILE May gentlemen visited him in his easy
confinement. The writer of this paper accepted
an invitation shortly after the shooting and VS.
- y, TN ina II
heard the Generals story above given, though 1
had been an eyewitness of much OF it.
The BODY of General Nelson was placed tenn
porariy at Cave Hill Cemetery. 1t rests
at Camp Dick Robinson, where the lamented
Nelson first organized the brave sons of his
native State into invincible defenders OF the
Nations life.
When Nelson left the Office of the Gait House,
after striking Davis. and went to his rooms.
Davis thought that he had gone to arm himself,
and when he returned, with his hands in the DO
sition before stated, he supposed he was ready
for meeting. When Davis called to Nelson to
stop and defend himself" aud Nelson contnu-
ing advance without speaking, though look
ing directly at him. made him believe that he
did not wish to avoid but rather came on to the
conflict. and he fired.
Briefly it is this: General Nelson had insulted
him to such extent that he must either fight
Nelson or leave the army in disgrace. He had
been informed that Nelson would not meet him
according to the code, and his only alternative
was to force a fight. This he did when he
thought Nelson armed to meet him. Look
ing at the entire matter from an army stand
point, he could have done no less.
For General Nelson it is to be said that he
WAS naturally imperious, not SO much to his
subordinates to his equals and superiors.
His natural inclination in that direction
helped by his education Nelson was a lieu
tenant in the navy and was serving In the army
on leave of absence) and that his quarterback
manner was more offensive to a landsman than
it would have been TO a seaman. 1t is also to
be rememb ered that Nelson worn out with
continuous service, harassed with the duty OF
protecting imperiled and threatened city
without necessary means of defense; stung to
the quick by the taunts of disloyal element
under his very eye, and that some indulgence is
to os given to the weakness of human nature in
fight Governor Morton than General Davis; that
whom he approached General Davis. coming from
his rooms, he on his way to his own private
apartments, the second floor, and did not ex-
pect to meet Davis at all; and. finally, that he
was unarmed when Davis shot him.
The actors in this tragedy were both my
friends Nelson had under his rough ext erior
heart tender a woman's
After these events had been duly considered
by the civil authorities, Gen. Davis was
leased and ordered to join his division, then in
Tennessee with Gen. Sherman, and with him he
marched to Atlanta, and eventually TO Wash
ineton. After that he served as Governor Of
Alaska. From this post he WAS placed as COM
mander at New York city, and remained there
until he ordered to the command of his
regmen the Twenty third United States In
fantry, to quell the Modocs, and bring their
leader. Capt. Jack. before the United States
authorities for the murder of Gen. Candy.
This he successfully accomplished. and then re-
manned with his command. He died at Chica-
go. ILL.,, on Nov. 30. 1879, by rank the colonel of
the Twenty-third United States Infantry.